by law they may both go to the diuell togither for their vncharitable mindes as well as other theeues murtherers without law for their vnlawful actions Amongst other faults that the Corinthians are reproued for by saint Paule this was no small one that there were many quarrelles suites and complaints commenced amongst them for small matters and that before heathenish Iudges where they made themselues ridiculous and the Christian profession scandalous to them that were without He tenteth their wound and sheweth what roote those corruptions did spring from For there wanted first wisdome amongst them to compound and decide controuersies Is there not a wise man amongst 1. Cor. 6. 5. you saith he none that can find where the fault is and set downe the right of the cause of so small a moment Secondly there wanted loue for brother with brother went to law and 1. Cor. 6. 6. that vnder Infidels Thirdly they wanted patience Why rather suffer ye not wrong and forbeare 1. Cor. 6. 7. one another forgiue one another let manie faults passe forget many iniuries and commit them to God Fourthly there wanted Iustice Nay ye your selues saith he will do wrong and harme that to your brethren These foure wants must needes be amongst vs beloued who are so litigious and readie to go to the law For want of iustice in foro conscientiae in the Court of our conscience wee doe iniuries for lacke of patience we will suffer none for want of loue we spare neither father nor brother for lacke of wisedome we come to no speedie agreement our selues but the law must trie all Out of Saint Paules reproofe may it not well be thus spoken to you that are such sookers in law suits Though ye haue not a conscience to do right nor patience to suffer wrong nor loue to forbeare your brethren yet if you were wise your selues or had wise neighbours about you your matters might bee determined at home And doubtlesse if mē would do as they would be done to or if the offender would agree with his aduersarie quickly in the way and the partie Math. 5. offended accept of reconciliation and debate the matter with his neighbour himselfe what quiet of heart and safegarde of monye and godlye loue might bee procured whereas now men dwell in suites tossing themselues as in a sea of troubles enriching the lawyers abusing the lawe and empouerishing themselues It is a token of an vnholsome ayre Si valeans ho◠mines ars tua Phoebe iaces where the countrie is full of thriuing Physitions And Plato that diuine heathen sayth Signum est profligatae turpisque educationis in ciuitate Danoeus ex Platone cum multis Iudicibus iurisconsultis foris egeat Respub It is a signe of badde and wicked education and ill maners in any countrie when the Common-wealth hath neede of manie Iudges manie Lawyers manie Courtes The multitude of these Physitions of our estate so encreasing and flourishing telleth vs with shame that wee are a sight of wrangling Christians for the most part without iustice without patience without loue and wisedome and therefore it is more then high time that this were amended in those that feare God and respect the peace of a good conscience One great meanes of Reformation herein resteth in you Right worshipfull if you carefullye put in practise that prudent example of Gallio deputie in Achaia who beeing importuned by the clamourous outcryes of Paules aduersaryes draue them all from the Iudgement Acts. 18. 16. seate as men hauing more malice then matter A commendable action in him that was but a heathen but better will it become the place and profession of a Christian Magistrate And thus dearelie beloued haue we opened and serued this writte of prohibition agaynst priuate reuenge wee haue considered the louing title vsed by Saint Paule to allure our heartes to a like proportion of loue a-againe Wee haue heard how daungerous to our bodies and soules how preiudicial to religiō in both the exercise of hearing praying and what an enimie to God and a friend and follower of the diuell is a heart full of malice And yet when iniquitie hath conceiued and brought forth reuēge either in words or deeds then is it more daungerous for as it hurteth it selfe first so it mischieueth others being come to that passe We haue gaged the poyson of a wicked tongue and found it vnmeasurable we haue applied meanes of cure if the patients will endure it we haue arrested all those and bound them to the peace that dare vndertake their priuate reuenge or proceede to the raysing of a publike mutinie If they will not obey our writ from heauen we leaue them to you right worshipfull the ministers of Gods vengeance to be bent or broken We haue directed all plaintiffes from their weake anger to the mightie wrath of God for the confirmation royall of our prohibition from heauen we haue brought a true copie warranted by Saint Paule a faithfull Register of that sacred Patent and Charter wherin the Lord maketh knowne his chalenge and threatneth not onely reuenge to all vsurpers and euill doers but promiseth also a recompence to those that abide his leysure and commit their cause to him or his ministers ordained for reuenge recompense Wee haue shewed what Magistrates are and should be Gods they are for God and therefore should not be rigorous nor flouthfull but iust mercifull and diligent We haue declared that subiectes cannot be well gouerned with oppression of the greater nor magistrates amended by rebellion of the lesse We haue examined the absurd opinions of thē that would haue no superiours but all equalles nothing priuate but all things common no lawes but all lust and libertie We haue merte with those foxes that vse the publike ordinance of God to racke their priuate spight worke their extremities To conclude we haue vsed motiues to disswade men both from priuate courses of reuenge and also from the abuse of that publike vengeance those lawes and that ordināce which the Lord hath planted to preserue the good to maintaine peace trueth right amongst men Now therefore Graue fathers remember your publike callings that your sword and your sentence your iudgement vengeance is the Lords Remember that by title you are Gods but forget not your priuate condition you shall dye like men remember that you are maisters and Iudges here but forget not that you haue a maister and a Iudge in heauen Looke vpon the people and thinke though they be many as the blades of the field yet are they but grasse all flesh is grasse surely Isaie 40. 7. the people are grasse but yet looke againe and beholde that as the grasse is so is the flower also as the people are so are the Rulers there is some difference in beautie and dignitie as there is in the flower and the grasse but the grasse withereth the flower fadeth men dye and mortall Gods
not my right but rather giue place to myne ordinance let mans anger yeeld to Gods wrath mans impotencie to gods power mans partialitie to Gods Iustice mans secret conspiracie to the publike Iudgement established by God himselfe The Reuenge therefore that is by this Prohibition remoued is priuate such as receiuing iniuries offered without right repayeth them againe without Law The reuenge redresse of wrongs warranted vnto vs is the wrath vengeance of the Lord either mediatly to be executed by his Ministers ordayned to take vengeaunce of euill doers or else immediatly by the Lord himselfe where the sword of the Magistrate is too short or the hand too slack to smite the malefactor The chiefest doubt remayneth in this word Wrath to the which wee are to giue place for some haue interpreted it of mans Wrath not Gods some of our owne wrath wherein wee Imbros de â—â—â— lib. 1. C. 12 are agents and feele our anger boyling and beginning to kindle in the bosome these counsayle vs to resist anger at the first or at the least to retyre our selues and giue backe froÌ„ the extremitie and continuaunce of it to let Aretius slippe all occasions of quarrell and so to forget and forgiue that wee eschew all prouocations all motions or speaches that may renew the memorie of wrongs or nourish the conceipt of iniuries and indignities some againe expound it of mans wrath as it is in another wherin he is the Patient as though this were a Caueat to stay vs from laying sticks vpon another mans fire that wee blow not the coales of another mans choler that wee answere not a foole according to his foolishnesse nor an hastie man according to his hastinesse Lactant. lib. 6. Instit Cap. 18. by that meanes adding oyle to his flame or oyning our impatiencie with his iniustice But wee follow those interpreters which with best warrant do vnderstand this wrath of Gods wrath and the reuenge of iniquitie Alhanas irae diuinae August in Psâ— 78. vindictaiâ— quitatis Thom. Iudicio diuino or his diuine Iudgement and not of the anger either of the wrong dooer or sufferer For notwithstanding the sense of the former be godly and somewhat to our purpose yet this phrase of giuing place is not vsed in that signification affirmatiuely but rather negatiuely as Saint Paul sayth to the Ephesians Giue no place to the diuell and so in that sense would hee haue saide heere giue no place to wrath if hee had vnderstood it of the vnlawfull and wicked wrath of man and not of the most lawfull and holie wrath of God But I neede not make many wordes let the Holie Ghost interpret it selfe which by the Confirmation brought from the Authoritie of Moses and the mouth of the Lord himselfe doth manifestly declare that such wrath is heere to be yeelded vnto as the Lord claimeth to himselfe by the termes of vengeaunce and recompence the later whereof Saint Paul for the Deut. 31. 35 more certaintie and clearer application expoundeth in the person of God and action of his vengeaunce I will repay Now wee haue notice of the Authoritie wherewith this writ is confirmed let vs serch the contents and meaning of the Prohibition being directed from so great a Lord vnder perill of our soules if wee obey not his commaunde In this behold first the title wherewith S. Paul The title The reâ—aint Reasons â—orcingeery one of â—em greeteth vs which is most kinde and louing Dearely beloued secondly the restraint Auenge not your selues thirdly a direction giue place to wrath Fourthly note how euery wotd of the prohibition is backed secoÌ„ded with some reason implied to disswade from priuate reuenge and to draw to a patient abiding of the Lords leisure and an expectation of his iudgements to be executed Let vs first examine this amiable title which The title serueth as a sweet ingredience to qualifie a bitter medicine Dearely beloued saith hee as though he would protest before hand that although he resisted their affections and crossed their stubborne willes by with-holding froÌ„ reuenge yet he did it for loue to their soules and cure to the soares of their mindes If we consider the estate of Gods beloued people in this life we shal finde that they haue neede of many admonitions and precepts of patience and forbearance first because of their infirmities secondly because of the continual reproches and wrongs which shall be offered vnto them Gods best beloued are not so perfect and exact but they are subiect to passions and often resolutions 1 Sam. 25. 2â— of Reuenge against their enimies as Dauid was marching to the destruction of Naball for his churlish answere till Abigail meereth him and with gracious words asswageth his displeasure And who seeth not but the life of the best Christians is a marke for all wicked men and the diuell himselfe to be continually darting at and therefore euen to them being Gods beloued is it necessarie to giue this Item Dearely beloued auenge not your selues Beloued they were to whom Paul vttered this as those are that he are this first beloued of the Lord secondly for the Lords sake beloued of the ministers of God Will you then see what reasons may bee drawne from this title to keepe all Christians Reasons from the title against reuenge froÌ„ reuenge Say you are disquieted reproched oppressed Let this be your coÌ„fort you are beloued of God whosoeuer hateth you you are his dearlings he tendreth your case hee numbreth your haires hee putteth your teares in his bottell Wee are content to endure great daungers for those that wee know loue vs to put vp many iniuries at the intreatie of our friendes and who is a louer like the Lord or a friend like him which entreateth vs and chargeth vs not to Auenge our selues not to resist euill but to commit our causes and soules in well doing to 1. Pet. 4. 19. the Lord our faythfull Creator and Reuenger Againe those whom wee loue wee imitate and expresse in manners and behauiour As God is our Father in Creation Adoption so must we proue our selues to be his children in Imitation but in nothing may wee better declare who is our father then as wee were beloued when wee were enemies so to loue againe and pray for our enimies when they haue wronged vs. Dyd our Sauiour Christ reuenge when hee was hurt No sayth the Apostle beeing reuiled hee reuiled not againe Pet. 2. 23. beeing iniuried hee sought no reuenge when he suffered hee threatned not but committed it to him that iudgeth righteously Thus doing hee left an example that we should follow his footesteppes The diuell when hee getteth audience telleth a man how much hee is hated and iniuried but the spirit of God being pure is also peaceable and telleth him how much hee is Iam. 3. 17. beloued endeuoring to drowne all conceipt of mens spight and malice in the depth of Gods loue set as a seale to
lust and libertie scorning Gods ordinance as a refuge for cowardes and not a fitte redresse for them that haue nimble tongues of their owne and hands swift to shed bloud The other giues backe for aduauntage and will crouch and bowe till hee see his occasion and then hee is mercilesse First wee are by vertue of this warrant to charme those great barkers which vsing that womanish kinde of reuenge doe bend their tongues like bowes and shoote their words like arrowes If to call our brother Racha as much to say as paltrie felow deserueth the punishment Matth. 5. of a councell if the nicke-name of foole in vnaduised anger be worthie of hell fire then what shall be giuen vnto thee thou false tongue which Psal 52. 4. louest and vsest to speake all wordes that may destroy which cuttest like a rasor not onely those that are present but woundest like a venemous Psal 120. Barnard de tripliâ—i custod arrow the absent and vnseene Leuiter volat grauiter vulnerat sayth Bernard of the speach of a wicked tongue it flies lightly but pearceth deepely it entreth easily but goes out hardly and that more is Vnoictu multos interficit with one blowe it spoyles a multitude How great is the wounde that so small a weapon maketh Saint Iames tearmeth it to bee Iames 3. a worlde of mischiefe a fire that enflameth the whole course of Nature an vnrulie euill full of deadly poyson a beast that no man can tame And yet the Lordes belâ—ued are not to suffer this member runne riot in themselues for if Iames 1. 26. any man seeme religious and refraineth not his tongue but deceyueth his owne heart this mans Religion is vaine The beloned of the Lord that striue to bee perfect and to bridle the whole bodie must not let the tongue loose Blessing and cursing bitter water and sweete must not issue out of the fountaine of a sanctified mouth Nay if a man respect but the benefites of a temporall estate hee is to set a watch before his mouth For if anie man long after life and 1. Pet. 3. 10. Psal 34. to see good dayes he must refraine his tongue from euill and his lippes from guile sayth the holie Ghost In the ranke of those that practice this kind of Reuenge there are some that would seeme to surcease from their bitter and vnlawfull course but it is when they haue rather tired then tamed their tongues spurged out their deadly poyson to the ful then they crie out in the bitternesse of their heart vpon God and the Magistrate for further vengeance against him whom they haue most cruellie torne and depraued alreadie But they aske and receaue not for the spirit of â—m 3. them lusteth after enuie and their curse being causelesse flieth like a byrd and settleth no where â—rou 26. â— vnlesse it returne to their owne bosome S. Ierome likeneth it vnto an arrow shot against a stone which sticketh not in the marke but oftentimes â—eronym de â—ta cleric Resiliens percutit dirigentem flying backward it striketh the Archer As hee loued cursing saith Dauid so shall it come vnto him it shall â—sal 109. 17. come into his bowels like water and like oyle into his bosome it shall be as a garment to couer him and a gyrdell to his loynes Are all words of rebuke and curses the fruits of hatred and actions of priuate reuenge therfore vnlawfull will some say To which I answere that there be reproofes of the righteous proceeding from loue and curses of the vngodly issuing from zeale and warranted by the spirit of God and therefore are consequent sentences of his appointed wrath and vengeance vpon sinners Let the righteous reproue me saith Psal 141. 5. Dauid for that shall be as precious balme vpon my head O fooles and slowe of heart sayd our Sauiour Luk. 24. 25. to his disciples and goe behinde mee Sathan to Math. 16. 23. Peter that a little before made a blessed confession of the truth O foolish Galathians who hath Galat. 3. 1. bewitched you writeth Paul to those for whom he trauayled twyce that Christ might be formed in Gal. 4. 19. theÌ„ In these reprehensions and taunting words was no malice but a zeale to gods truth hatred to ignorance loue to the soules of the parties rebuked and thence brake out these sharp and charitable termes of reproofe Habet vera Amicitia Barnard 24â— Epis obiurgationem interdum adulationem nunquaÌ„ Trew friendship chideth sometimes flattereth neuer But the case seemeth harder in flat curses and prayers of execration and vengeaunce which notwithstanding by warrant from the spirit of God haue proceeded lawfully from the mouthes of holie men in especiall commission for the same What woes and iudgements Math. 11. doth the Lord thunder out against Chorazim and Bethsaida against Pharises Scribes and Math. 24. Ierem. 17. 18. Ierom. 18. 22 hypocrits Ieremie and Dauid praye most feruently against certaine enimies to God and them selues Saint Paule in particular against Alexander 2. Timoth. 4. 14 the Coppersmith prayeth the Lord to reward him according to his deedes which were euill and cruell Noah chaunged his fatherly Genes 9. 25. words of blessing into a heauie curse vpon his sonne Cham and his posteritie What shall we say of all these but that they were warranted by the spirit of God and their place assigned to reprooue and pronounce the sharp sentence of the Lord against his dâ—sperate enimies reuealed vnto them For the prayers Aâ—gust in Psa 108. and imprecations of those that were inâ—â—wed with a spirit of prophecie came not from any desire or delight they had to see Gods vengeaunce vpon others for any priuate respect no not that calling of fire from heauen by Elias King 1. 2. nor that deadlie curse of Elisha vpon the ill nurtured children but Elias was fired with a peculiar spirit against the enemies of God which being doubled on his seruant procured him in the Lordes name to curse those malepart boyes that reproched the ministerie of God in the wanton mockerie of Elishaes defect So that those curses whereupon present execution followed were but modus praedicendi August in Psal 108. futura saith Austin the maner of foretelling things to come wherein the spirit giuing notice of Gods pleasure the Prophet pronounced the iust vengeance of God to ensue If any one now vndertake to curse or call fire from heauen vpon any particular persons as the Pope banneth and curseth the Lords annointed manie times his praiers are turned into sinne hee Luke 9. 55. knoweth not what spirit he is of and therefore where he curseth the Lord blesseth But I heare me thinkes some one that hath caught a lewde custome of swearing cursing and wishing vengeance at euerie worde yet maketh this foolish excuse for his filthie language Although I speake all maner of mischiefe curse damnablie sweare horriblie yet